World War II was in its early days when brutal German dictator Adolf Hitler paid a visit to Paris, the capital of France. Only days before, on June 14, 1940, German soldiers had overrun the city, shocking the world. Hitler now viewed the citys cultural treasures as his own. He posed for a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower, the beloved symbol of France and the countrys free, democratic people. The photo, taken by his personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann, would show the world that Nazi Germany had triumphed over its bitter enemy. Many who viewed the photo in newspapers around the globe would draw a second conclusionthat Germany would almost certainly invade Britain next. And if Britain fell, Hitler would be a huge step closer to his ultimate goal of world domination.
